23rd April, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday disclosed that 856,680 motorists violated the state’s traffic laws between January 2023 and March 2024.
Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi disclosed this at the ministerial briefing of the ministry held in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
He said the usage of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology helped the state to capture traffic offences, such as vehicle moving against traffic
“The ANPR captured 856,680 violations from January 2023 to March, 2024. To reduce human interface, the Traffic Management Solution (TMS) devices handled by the VIS Officers captured 10, 421 violations between January, 2023 and March, 2024.
Osiyemi also vowed that government would to intensify enforcement activities on fake enforcement officials across the State.
He disclosed that the Ministry through its task force team would carry out sting operations in different areas of the state until all impersonators are eradicated within the metropolis.
The commissioner explained that revealing details of the enforcement operations would sabotage its effectiveness and success, as the impersonators would devise methods to elude the State Government and persist in their unlawful act.
Osiyemi also explained that the recently introduced Traffic Management Solution Device (TMS) has successfully captured 26,816 real time traffic infringements over the last three months, making enforcement more effective and safe for officers to carry out.
The Commissioner also disclosed plan by the State Government to take the transportation system to another level, through introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses by private investors, assuring that the State Government’s commitment to public transportation is to promote a transport system that is integrated and give options to its citizens.
The Commission for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotosho, in his opening remarks described how important the Transportation Sector is to the economy and the well being of Lagosians.
Giving his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa stressed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) is the only body backed by the Law to carry out enforcement and manage traffic within the state, saying Local Governments did not have traffic officers and they are not authorized by the law to apprehend motorists who commits traffic infractions.
Giwa also urged members of the public to avoid negotiating fines on the road with alleged enforcement officers to avoid being victims of impersonators.
Debunking the claims that fake enforcement officers apprehended last week around Cele axis worked for the Ministry of Transportation, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa confirmed that many of them are impostors, adding that it will be an anomaly for the Ministry to arrest and publicly shame its staff.
Mr. Olawale Musa equally urged members of the public to report any misdemeanor or illegal activity by anyone to the Ministry via the provided hotlines (09020009000 and 09020004000), assuring that every complaint will be addressed.